Colombo slams US-sponsored resolution submitted at the UNHRC

Sri Lanka today slammed the US-sponsored resolution at the UNHRC which it says seeks to "discredit" and "single out" the country over alleged human rights violations, terming it as "biased and politicised".

It also said the language of the resolution was borrowed from a "flawed" report by the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navaneetham Pillai.

Lankan External Affairs Minister G L Peiris said in his communique to member states setting out his government's stand on the resolution, said, "Drawing disproportionate attention to Sri Lanka's situation and introducing resolution that seeks to discredit, single out and humiliate the country are unhelpful and counterproductive to Sri Lanka's current reconciliation process".

"Just as the Government of Sri Lanka did not recognise the last HRC resolution, it rejects the new resolution. Sri Lanka intends to request a vote when the draft resolution is taken up at the Human Rights Council on 21 March 2013."

"Sri Lanka seeks the understanding and the support of HRC member states at the vote on this resolution."

Peiris said that the beneficiaries of the resolution would be none other than the divisive forces that seek to destabilise the hard won peace in Sri Lanka, he said.
The Sri Lankan external affairs ministers warned that "the precedent created by intrusive, biased and politicised actions such as the US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka would pose a danger for all nations".

Meanwhile, Lankan human rights envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe has slammed the US moved resolution to be voted at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva tomorrow as carrying borrowed language from a "flawed" report by UN High Commissioner of Human Rights.
Samarasinghe was speaking at the session in Geneva today ahead of tomorrow's formal presentation of the resolution.

He said Lanka wishes to express strongest reservations as to the content of the report on Sri Lanka as well as the procedure followed in formulating it.

"We note that in the Report, the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) has gone beyond the mandate granted under resolution 19/2 which limited her role to reporting on the provision of technical assistance...The OHCHR has ventured into territory not envisaged by L 19/2 by making substantive recommendations.

"The recommendations contained in the Report introduce substantive measures which are totally unrelated to the mandate under 19/2".

Samarasinghe also took exception to its references to the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Panel of Experts' (PoE) report on Sri Lanka.

Samarasinghe said Sri Lanka would request the member states "to critically evaluate the content and scope of this Report to ensure that an unhealthy precedent should not be established.

"I would also urge you to resist all attempts to use such a flawed and misconceived document to be the basis on which this Council contemplates taking further action".